Even if you buy a building product with an 'eternity' life span it's still a good idea to preserve that material in pristine condition for as long as possible. One of the best ways that can be accomplished is by avoiding moisture. Rainscreen cladding does just that as it provides a gap between the wall of the building and the interior of the siding. This is accomplished by attaching the siding/cladding/panels to furred out strips instead of directly to the wall. This allows water, air, moisture and the like to enter – but also to leave.

This is the practice we employed at our Chicago Ridge Project. This commercial building employed the rainscreen system in use with exterior composite paneling. Rainscreens are often used with wood products but by installing composite materials instead this customer is maximizing the life span of this renovation.